For a recent graduate, finding the right career can be daunting. Job markets are in flux and one year can bring many jobs and the next far too few. Fortunately, there is one job sector that never seems to be filled: non-profit groups. Non-profits run the gamut from Amnesty International, the ACLU, to smaller, lesser-known groups which makeup the majority of ...

What a relief! Your first job offer. But before you say "yes," think about whether it's the right job for you. Start by asking your prospective employer for some time before you make your decision. Anywhere from a few days to a week is acceptable. Take that time to figure out what's most important to you and weigh the job ...

It's your first job and you want to make a good impression. But chances are what passed for appropriate conduct in your dorm room and classroom won't earn you points at work. So cop a professional attitude and use on-the-job etiquette to get ahead. Watch Your Time Start with the most basic rule of business etiquette: Be punctual. Always arrive ...

Earning a graduate degree is a big accomplishment -- one many students hope will clear a path to a great job. But grad students typically confront unique barriers to job search success, especially if they're seeking opportunities outside academia. Be ready to work around these internal and external roadblocks, either alone or with the help of a school career counselor, ...

You know how, when you go home for breaks, all your family members and friends ask you the same line of questions: "How's school? How are your grades? How are your friends?" I've noticed a change when I became a senior. The questions are as follows: "Have a job yet? Have you started looking? Will you have a job when you ...

You spend most of your waking hours at work. You rarely get out for lunch, never mind dinner. You'd like to meet that special someone, but you just don't know where to look. Suddenly, Cupid shoots his arrow, and it hits the person in the next office. Out with all reason – love is in the air! Stop. Sure, meetings ...

Just a few years ago a college degree in hand meant an entry-level job was virtually assured. Those days are gone-- right along with the idea of staying with one employer for 5 to 10 years. Here's why -- and what you can expect from this new reality we call the modern job market: Your Degree Is Helpful But Not a ...

Parents pay a lot for their children's college educations, and so they often feel they ought to help select their children's future occupations. Sometimes it's subtle, and sometimes it's in-your-face coercion. In my experience, arranged careers almost never work out in the long run. If you're going along with accounting, consulting or law school because your folks think that would be ...

In some cultures, bargaining is the norm. A buyer or seller makes an offer, and the other party either accepts or counters the offer. The two negotiate until a deal is made or one of the parties walks away. When you're negotiating your pay with an employer, do you know what you're doing? Do you have any idea of what you're ...

Sometimes the harder you try to figure out what you want to do for a career, the more you wind up beating your head against the wall. Sound familiar to you? If so, then try the reverse strategy: Take a close look at what you don't want to do. That way, you can explore the opposite and start getting at least ...

If you’re already investing in a law degree meant to improve your career prospects, then why would you bypass the many job-hunting services offered by your law school’s career center? “Yes, there are plenty of online [job search] resources, but they’re not a substitute for visiting your school’s career services office,” says Deborah Schneider, author of Should You Really Be a ...

Take a variety of different classes. Don't pigeonhole yourself into one tight line of study. Branch out and take a good look around to see what interests you. Complete a few self-assessment tests. Self-assessment tests can tell you a lot about yourself and may help you match your skills and interests with possible careers. Develop a career inventory. What kind of ...

What makes you tick? What major will fit you best? How will you find a good career? And how can you keep from going crazy trying to sort through this swirl of career-related questions? Many college students feel confused and overwhelmed by all of the career decisions they must make. Fortunately, there's a strategy you can use to make the whole ...

You've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not pursuing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what you should be doing? To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Professional career counselors usually undertake this strategy ...

For Jake Gehrig, Independence Day came early last year; May 15, to be exact. That's the day this Pittsburgh native graduated from college, trading in his childhood for what he thought would be a life of self-sufficiency and a future full of promise. “I thought to myself, life's just beginning. The orientation of life is over,” said Gehrig, 24, who graduated ...

You’ve always been good at math and science, so why not put that talent to good use? Check out these careers. Product marketing engineer National average salary: $79,950 Wendy Logan always liked math and science. So she majored in computer science at Rice University in Houston and got a job at National Instruments in Austin. During college: Even though Logan enjoyed—and ...

Jobs and internships. Whether you need the cash or the experience, eventually you’ll be on the look out for one or the other. Look no further. Interview advice. Tips from past interns. Tricks on negotiating your salary. Everything you need to know in one place. Plus, coming soon, you'll be able to use our comprehensive database to find a gig. We’ve ...

College grads this year are facing one of the toughest job markets in decades. As of March 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for people age 20 – 24 was 13.9%. That’s 5.4% higher than the national average, and 3.7% higher than last year. “Graduates who are unable to find jobs are at higher risk of ...

When J. Scott Johnson, a technology entrepreneur and blogger from Newton Center, Massachusetts, got an email from a forlorn info-tech wannabe, he zipped off 12 tips for post-boom job searching, publishing them on his blog, the FuzzyBlog. Johnson's "12 Recommendations for the New CS Graduate" took off and traveled the globe. Other bloggers reposted them, as have visitors to the Monster ...

On my shelf of forgotten and useless VHS tapes sit two videos I watched frequently as a child: "I Wanna Be a Fire Fighter" and "I Wanna Be a Heavy Equipment Operator". I don't exactly remember wanting to be a heavy equipment operator, but you just never know at that age. These educational videos depicted what a day on the job ...